Straub’s lawyers had argued to authorities that the victim Claire Newman’s gender change would make the victim appear “unstable” before a jury, at a trial slated to occur this month. Straub was accused of grabbing Newman by the throat on the sideline of his night-polo venue, Polo West, in April 2012. Newman, who now lives as a man named Cale, decided in January she did not want to case to continue.

The developer has said he saw a group of young people drinking beer and said at the time he worried they were underage. Newman initially described the incident that ensued as a physical spat, Gossip Extra said.

Straub faced legal troubles in 2010 as well. He was found not guilty yesterday in a criminal trial over allegations he violated federal wetlands laws. He was charged with improperly bulldozing and filling in wetlands. A 12-member jury acquitted him after a three-week trial, as previously reported. [Gossip Extra] –Mark Maurer